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Monday, May 06, 2013

THE OPENING OF THE MARIINSKY THEATRE IN ST PETERSBURG RUSSIA

POSTED RESPONSE TO A COLUMN IN RUSSIA TODAY

It is simply gorgeous.

There are too few examples in the world of really fine
contemporary public-space architecture, modern architecture which works well
with older buildings.

Jack Diamond was an excellent choice as architect. He did
the opera house in Toronto, and there he established some of the design
principles used in the Mariinsky, although on a much smaller scale, given a
much smaller budget.

Diamond is not one of those "looks only"
architects who design sculptures with little consideration for the use to which
they are put.